The Swords of Righteousness in for a torrid time
Four peace activists taken hostage in Iraq were shown in an insurgent video broadcast on Arab television today, with a previously unknown group claiming responsibility for the kidnapping.
The Swords of Righteousness Brigade said the four were spies working undercover as Christian peace activists, al-Jazeera television news reported. The station said it could not verify any of the information on the tape.
The Swords of Righteousness and four righteous, holier than thou peace activists…should make for some cutting conversations but then they are most probably just being briefed.
What’s the odds the Swords of Righteousness will get sick and tired of the activists simpering, snivelling preaching and throw them out?
UPDATE: The group’s media advisor has obviously told them that The Swords of Righteousness tag is too clumsy in English so today they are reported as the Swords of Truth Brigade.
If it’s all about truth I wonder then, what they will make of this statement.
A statement released by the Christian Peacemaker Team said: “We are angry because what has happened to our teammates is the result of the actions of the US and UK governments due to the illegal attack on Iraq and the continuing occupation and oppression of its people.”
I would’ve thought what happened to their teammates was the result of;
■ putting themselves in a position to be kidnapped, and
■ being kidnapped by the Truth chaps.
A bit old-fashioned of me, I know, but it comes under the heading of being responsible for your own actions.
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What’s your point Kev ? That these people should not be performing charitable work ?
Gee wiz the security situation looks good over there. Been there yourself ? I mean, your courage is well known so I bet you’d have no worries going to Iraq hey ?
You are an idiot Barry. Only men with balls go to a war zone !
Guess your right….. all these people who tell us Iraq is going well don’t have the courage to actually go there…. must be easy to pontificate from your computer screen….
BB,
Try reading some milblogs by guys who are there. They all think it’s slowly improving. Read some blogs by Iraqi’s..they too seem to think things on the improve.
I think any form of reading would help you.
Thanks Kev…. I understand the US is now paying the local Iraqi newspaper to publish stories written by their soldiers. Are these worth reading ? I bet they’d be an honest reflection !
What charitable work are they doing Barry?
Dear Barry,
Sorry to Kev that I have to agree with you. I saw the same article.
Looks as if the Yanks are ready to “bug out” if you read between the lines of the speech that Bush as just given to the US Naval Academy.
Just like Vietnam where they left half trained troops who were rolled up by the NVA.
Now Rumsfeld won’t even call the “insurgents” insurgents anymore. Poor old General Pace standing there contradicting him.
Wonder how long before he gets the shove just like Chief of Staff Gen. Eric Shinseki who predicted that the forces that Rumsfeld sent to Iraq would not be enough to win the ‘peace”.
Bush is buckling to public pressure and perhaps with one eye on the mid terms elections that will surely see the Republicans cop a hiding. I supposed a lot of the Republican Congressmen and women are worried out their seats and may be exerting pressure to have some of the forces withdrawn before the elections. It might con the public into thinking that the Iraqi forces are god enough to secure post war Iraq.
The situation must be getting better if you look at the escalation in casualties that the US is suffering.
Have a look at the website called ” Iraqi coalition casualties”. The figures speak for themselves.
‘must be easy to pontificate from your computer screen’
Well, you’d know…
Dea Cb,
I amd glad that you agree with my pontifical pronouncements.
I am not yet infallible but am working on it.
I might be in line for a “red hat”.
Would you vote for me in the next conclave.?
Go through the archives of IRAQ THE MODEL perter. You’ll see a story (by an Iraqi coalition supporter) about shocking treatment by coalition soldiers on his family. And how he got support and help for justice by GW2 supporters back in the States.
That’s reality boy not forth hand talking points from Tim Dunlop’s site.
Definitely not infallible. Still an illiterate imbecile.
Humph, `charitable work’.
An asymmetrical comparison.
Douglas Woods, after his escape from butchers, due to discovery by a patrol of troops, was vilified in Oz by leftwing journos, including Fat Aunty Bolshevik Collective and her odious fan club. His crime,
he is a businessman who had set up a business in Iraq, employing Iraqis which meant,those Iraqis had earnings to buy not only consumables to look after their families but also for savings to establish their own capital investments.
With the capture of Woods and a number of employees, that was the end of the business. Those
families no longer win earnings through family members, some are worse off, at least one of the captured employees was murdered by t the bastards.
Now, these `charity workers’ are not so charitable. They opposed Gulf War II,excoriate the Coalition for the action, and, what did they do: they went to take their `protest’into Iraq. They did not describe themselves as a `charity’ but as `peace protestors’. as Kemba himslef made plain, and fully understood they faced some risks, realised. So what charity did they engage in?
None, zip all. They did nothing at all for any Iraqi. They didn’t go in bringing capital for production and thus create real opportunities for some Iraqis. No, they went in full of their own lefty unctious `peace’ moralising half-witrted notions. Absloutey nothing at all Barry Jones, absolutely nothing, but that is what socialists mean by charity and creating opportunities, using others to inulge their shallow, hollow `consciences’.Unlike Woods, who rolled up his sleeves and put up somethng which did achieve far more than fools pretending to be be full of the milk of generosity.
Woods was spat upon back in Oz by nasty, leftoid savages who none-the-less shed tears over
tears over tossers such as Kemba who have not done one jot worth a lifting a finger for Iraqis. One could be really nasty and say, like so many lefties, they use others in misery to parade their holy Joe credentials and use them up for their mis-begotten , vain, conceited ends.
Dear D and CB,
Still descending to abuse.
Whya not contribute something constructive or is that beyond your mental capacity.
Dear D and CB;
Give Haliburton etc a call and see how they have helped the Iraqi people.
I wonder why the D of D in the US in investigating the rip off by that company and the plundering of profits from the US and the Iraqi governments.
It reminds me of post US civil war with the “carpet baggers” descending on the devastated South to make a quick killing. Greed seems to survive the ages.
There are some critical observations about your Mr Woods’ activities in Iraq.
If you descend into the pit and want to work in Iraq and make large profits then you have to take the risk that you might get harmed.
His kidnapping etc shows just how safe that country is post Saddam.
Contributing meaningfully to a debate with you in it is akin to painting the house with a fish.
CB
I don’t think that you have the menatl wattage to contribute anything meaningful.
Why not try again .
I am prepared to wait while your neurones start moving.
It might be a long wait given the history of your meaningless responses.
Yep, my mental wattage is way low. Busted globe or sumfink. If you would like to get to your point anytime soon, that would help a lot. I have yet to see your debating skills, just statements of opinion couched as facts. To be sure, arguing online is like winning Gold at the Special Olympics, even if you win…
Is this dunce “peter” still lurking about and shitting on the doorstep?
Go away, you retard.
Why…. yes, that IS an “ad hominem” attack.
Dear Pq
Whay would I want to go away and leave a fool like you pollute the site.
I am atill waiting for a reasoned response not the infantile insults emanating from your twisted mind.
Keep the bile flowing PQ.
It is refreshing to hear from such a decent caring human being.
Dear Pq,
I am still holding my breath for the next installment of bile from you.
Keep the thought processes moving.
Peter is out of his depth – that, Petey Boy is ad hominem, but a true ad hominem.
Seems Petey never survived first week of Anal Phil. IA, or applied to read it in a Dwork Uni and, heaven’s above, even they, dumbed down as those zoos are, rejected him.
So much for the ad hominem against Petey for his remarks are not particularly sound at all, as in factless, against Halib. and those he just made against Woods, the word of a louse, to update the old expression, a cad.
`carpet-baggers’ yeah, you’ve read to many leftoid fiction novels put out by types pretending to
be historians; I might say, Petey, in anticipation of another cheap shot from your ad hominemless goodself, I read American history – just in case you try the I’ll teach you how to suck eggs type garbage. .
Is it fair to judge people who went into a situation knowing they might never come out alive? THey are there because no one else is taking the initiative to change the world in a nonviolent way. If you have a problem wiht people that are corageous enough to care, then I don’t see why. Please, enligten me as to what part of what these people did was intolerable. I would like to know what stops these actions from being honorable.
one more thing. The activists are non missionary. they will only preach to those who will listen. If you would like to know more accurate facts about the group you are insulting I would suggest checking out their website next time before you decide to make incorrect accusaitons against them.
qzzx,
I don’t need to check out their website although I have. Their actions support the terrorists whether they are aware of this or not. Changing the world in a non-violent way is an admirable aim but delussional in this case. You can’t alter the mindset of someone who hates that much and is so ignorant as to accept suicide bombing as honourable and neither can you change the mindset of someone like me who believes that the actions of the terrorist is abhorant and that they need to be defeated for the good of all mankind.
Kev,
If you cannot alter the mindset of someone who hates that much, then why is the U.S. trying to
instill a democracy in a country that has known nothing but war for the last 2000 years. You
said it yourself, you cannot change people. History has proven that and everytime a “civilized”
society attempted to bring new ideologies to other cultures, the results have been desastrous.
So what are we doing exactly? What is the point? More americans are dying in that war then all
of the embassy and WTC bombings combined and still getting nowhere. While we are doing that,
a psychopath in Iran is claiming the holocaust never existed and that entire countries should
be eliminated. So do we go into Iran next? This is a country we know absolutely nothing about which is
4 times the size of Irak. Can you imagine the trouble we would have there? Also, let us not forget
that these people have no consideration for any life, ours or theres. They would not hesitate
to blow a nuclear bomb if it takes out americans in the process and if one goes, all of them go.
So the point I am getting to is that we are engaging in a cycle that can leads us to extinction.
Look at the Romains, look at the Germans, look at the Babylonians, they all tried to bring peace
and they all failed. You cannot, ever, go into a country you know nothing about and have such a
narrow American mind and hope to get anything accomplished.
You said terrorism needs to be defeated, absolutely.
Did Saddam need to be defeated? Absolutely.
My problem resides in the fact that because we took it upon ourselves to rid the world of these
vermins (like we always do), I might end up loosing my way of life which was not in danger before
now.
So the answer to all of this is what? Well maybe Darwin had it right. Evolution changes people,
people do not change people. The weak will not survive and those who are intelligent enough will.
Intelligence however can be found in an open-mind, pure knowledge, wisdom and the ability to know
when you are in the wrong.
Something us Americans have much difficulty with on the international stage.
Charles,
You can’t change the mindset of people who hate us so much but you can change the next generation by forcing democracy on them and developing their education. Iraq was once a seat of learning and can be again. If the kids are taught maths, science, history, arts etc like those of all the western democracies then the hate will dissapate. If the Clerics preaching this hate are are stopped then their is hope. It is not an overnight solution but it is one I believe is the only way to stem the hate. It’s a huge problem and needs a huge, long term answer.
Iran needs to be very careful. Much more talk about bombing Israel and the pragmatic Israelis will simply take out their capacity to make nuclear weapons like they did when Saddam was ranting about taking Israel out.
Don’t beat yourself about the US being wrong, they aren’t. It’s just that the solution is a long time one. Intelligence from open minds etc unfortunately isn’t the solution to all problems. Sometimes you simply have to eliminate the bad guys and give their children a go.
The compassion, investment and understandably, a bit of self interest that was applied by the US in Germany and Japan with the Marshall Plan shows that a civilized society can evolve from the ashes of hatred and mis-education.
Read the link on the LH menu bar about the View from the Eye of the Storm for another view.
Kev,
I find it troubling when you say “eliminate the bad guys and give their children a go”. If I
understand you correctly, you are saying “kill the parents and hope the children aren’t as sick”.
Well, obviously, that is not a practicable solution. I know that my hate would be very deep for
anyone who touches my familly. And unlike me, the only course of action for these people would be
revenge and violence and then the cycle continues. Even if I did not interpret correctly your
words, the basic message in your message seems to be in unison with what our government preaches”
change, revolution, new ways, american ways and all that other crap. But when we are thinking that way,
we are thinking like americans with our money, our education, our values, our morals and our beliefs which
differ greatly from value, morals and beliefs in the middle-east. How can we change something
when we don’t even understand it. How can you tell someone education is important when that
Iraki child cannot even see the neccessity of learning. We think education is the absolute key
to success but they do not see it that way. Obviously, it is important to be educated, it is
important to know science, math, politics, history and such…to us. Not to them. And it is not
because we tell them that it is important that they will think it is important. We all know how
the human brain works: it does not care what it is told, it does as it wants.
I am at a disadvantage because you offer a solution that is much better than my “let’s just let
things be” theory. But you know, sometimes their is no solution. This life is crazy but that’s
just the way it is and we can’t do anything about it. Somebody hits you, you hit back but never hit first.
So why do we always have to hit first?
Anyway Merry Christmas, let’s enjoying ’em while we have ’em
Settle petal – I mean fight the war with one generation and help the next. Not kill all of one generation.
So why do we always have to hit first?
9/11, Lebanon barracks, destroyers blown up, Bali etc
Obviously, it is important to be educated, it is
important to know science, math, politics, history and such…to us. Not to them
Only because the separation between church and state is not established. When it is and kids go through to high school they will have a broader view of the world. In most cases hatered is ignorance and education is the key. It is why we have to force a democarcy and the subsequent education to force a change. It’s a generational thing…not going to happen tomorrow but tomorrow the seeds can be sown.
Have a good Christmas and enjoy it knowing there are many more to come and that slowly the Middle East will settle. It’s a long call I make but I’m positive about the future.
Hi, my name’s Liz. I’m a member of the Baltimore Young Friends community, which Tom Fox, the Iraqi Captive who was murdered led for a year before he went to Iraq. I’d just like to say that Tom knew he was putting himself into. I believe that were he alive he would have expressed more gratitude towards his rescuers. He had very different views from you and he was opposed to the war, but he was also a wonderful man. He wanted to bring peace and democracy to Iraq as much as anyone.